The staff at the Imperial Medical Bureau, knowing they couldn't stop Ruan Jiaojiao, could only urge her to be careful. They also warned her that the greatest danger within the Liren Ward was not the plague itself, but the escalating conflict between the two ethnic groups.
Once inside, Ruan Jiaojiao truly grasped the weight of those words. Both sides were locked in mutual blame, each accusing the other of being the source of their suffering. Sometimes, even when people were beaten to death during these clashes, the local authorities found it nearly impossible to intervene. It was little wonder the situation had deteriorated to the point where Pei Huaiyu had to come personally to resolve it.
Ashina Chengguang, having somehow heard she had entered the Liren Ward, followed her inside. "You were never one to be overly altruistic," he remarked. "Why are you pushing yourself to this extent?"
Chapter 176